Drum-snare tightener



-Aug. 10 ,1926. 1,595,764

J. M. ELLIOTT DRUM SNARE TIGHTENER Filed June 16 1924 lit/77107 Jamaal[MW Patented Aug. 10, 1926.

JAMES M. ELLIOTT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRUM-SNARE TIGHTENER.

Application filed June 16, 1924. Serial No. 720,212.

This invention relates to devices for tightening the snares on snaredrums.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to combine a pluralityof adjusting or tightening devices in one unitary structure,'so that thesnares can be individually tightened, when necessary, and whereby all ofthe snares can be tightened in unison, and whereby all the snares can bequickly relaxed or made loose, when occasion requires, whereby they maybeas quickly restored to normal position against the drum head.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features ofconstruction and com binations tending to increase the general efiiciencand the desirability of a combination rum snare tightening device ofthis particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends the invention consists in mattershereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawingsin which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a snare drum equipped with acombination snare tightening device embodying the principles of theinvention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of said device.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 33 of Fi 2. v

1 ig. 4 is a perspective of the adjustable means to which the ends ofthe snares are connected.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of one of the elements of the individualsnaretighteners.

As thus illustrated, thesnare drum 1 is provided with a bracket 2 fixedon the side thereof, this bracket having a pivot 3 and a slot 4 in theouter wall thereof. A cam member Shaving a cam slot 6 therein is mountedon said pivot, and is provided with a handle 7 for the operationthereof. A vertical movable slide 8 is movable up and down in theprovided wit a small roller 10 which engages the edges of said cam slot6, whereby operation of this cam about its pivot will movev the slide 8up and down. The member 11 to which the snares 12 are hitched is movableu and down on the outer surface of the sli e 8, in said guides 9, and isprovided with a rigid portion 13 having a threaded socket 14 therein forthe vertically disposed screw 15, which latter is swiveled inthehorizontal upper portion 16 of the glide 8 previously mentior ed, Thescrew 15 guides 9 of the bracket, and is has a handle 17 at its upperend, and by rotating this screw the member 11 is moved up and down togive the snares the proper degree of tension. By 0 erating the handle 7the snares can then be t rown quickly from the drum head, or broughtinto engagement therewith, in the manner necessary or desirable in theuseo f the drum for certain purposes. In addition, the member 11 isprovided with vertically disposed slots 18 in which the small slides 19are movable up and down, each slide having a reduced p0rt1on 20 toengage any one of said slots, and having its other end provided with anopening 21 inwhich the snare is attached. Each slide 19 has a verticallydisposed and threaded opening 22, and screws 23 are inserted downwardlythrough the member 11, as shown, to engage the threaded openings 22 inthe said slides. By adjusting any screw 23, it is obvious that theparticular snare attached to the slide 19 of such screw may be tightenedor loosened individually. When the snares all have the individualtension necessary, they can then be tightened or loosened in unison bythe screw 15. Then, during the use of the drum, for certain kinds ofmusical effects, the handle 7 can be thrown downward to quickly relax orloosen the snares, and can be thrown up again to restore the snares tooperative engagement with the drum head.

Thus three adjusting or tightening devices are combined in one unitarystructure, so that themeans for causing individual adjustment ortightening or tensioning of the snares serves also as a art of the meanswhereby the snares may e all tightened or loosened in unison, while inengagement with the drum head, and also a part of the means whereby thesnares may be quickly thrown out of engagement with the drum head, orrestored to engagement therewith.

It will be seen that the screws 23 have their upper ends provided withheads adapted for engagement with an ordinary screw driver, so thatthese screws are not liable to be turned or displaced from their properadjustment. The screws and the elements 19 occupy a protected positionbetween the member 11 and the side of the drum, said member being bentto extend horizontally and then downwardly, inthe manner shown, thuspartially enclosing the devices for individually tensioning the snares.The member 11 is movable bodily up and down, either by the screw 15, orby the cam mechanism, as previously explained. The screws 23 arearranged parallel with each other, and extend downwardly at the side ofthe drum,so that the pull on the snares is directly upward, and wherebythe snares are only once deflected from their straight direction acrossthe head of the drum. In other words, the snares extend across the headof the drum, and are then deflected upward, and the upper ends of theupx'vardly deflected portions of the snares are connected directly tothe controlling mechanism, so that the one up ward deflection of thesnares is suiiicient to enable them to connect with the controllingmechanism. in effect, therefore, the screws form a part of the devicefor quickly throwing the snares out of action, 0 into action. Thesescrews also in effect form a part of the means for tensio'ning thesnares in unison.

Thus it will be seen' that the individual tightening means comprisingthe screws 23 form the medium of connection between the snares and thequick throw out or adjuster formed by the cam and the parts cooperatingtherewith. Moreover, the tensioning screw 15 forms a part of theconnection intermediate ot the snares and the quick on or olt device,whereby the device embodies the three things in onethat is to say, theunitary device has the individual adjust ment or tensioning means forthe snares, the simultaneous tensioning means for tightening the snaresinunison, and the quick on and oil adjustment. The cam 5 and cooperatingmembers constituting the quick on and oil device have nothing to do withthe correct tensioning of the snares, of course, as the screw 15 and thescrews 23 constitute the means for obtaining the desired tension of thesnares. Having once obtained the correct individual tension for eachsnare, and the correct tei'ision of the snares in unison, the shares canthen be quickly thrown on or off by means of the handle 7 in the mannerexplained. But the quick on and off device is dependent on the screws 23for the quick on or oil adjustment of the snares, as these screws 23form the medium or connection between the snares and the quick on or offdevice. Similarly, the screw 15 is something upon which the 011 or offdevice is dependent, inasmuch as this screw fer-ins a part of the mediumof connection between the snares and the said quick on or oil device.

In accordance with the invention, therefore, a unitary device isprovided, having a plurality of adjustments, or a plurality ofd'iti'erent ways of adjusting or tensioniug the snares. As shown anddescribed, the device is a thr'e'e-in-one proposition, so to speak,inasim'i'ch as it provides a handle 7 for the quick t1lSlOI1i11gfl11dnontensioning of the snares, a screw 17 for tensioning the snares inunison, and screws 23 for tensioning the snares individually. Thus onlyone device needs to be attached to the drum in order to provide any orall of these adjustments, and the adjusting and tensioning is all doneat the same side of the drum, and at the same ends ot the snares,whereby no ten.- sioning or adjustment is necessary at the other side ofthe drum.

hat I claim as my invention is:-

1. In mechanism for tightening the snares of snare drums, thecombination of a device for quickly relaxing or' throwing all the snaresout of action, and to quickly bring the snares into engagement with thedrum head again, and meansto connect said device to the snares andhaving adjusting means for individually tightening the snares andforming a medium of individual adjustment connection between said deviceand the snares.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, comprising means of screwadjustment on said device for t'ensioning the snares in unison, saidscrew forming the medium of connection between said device-and saidindividual tigl'itening means, said means for individually tensioningthe snares being in effect a part of the means for quickly throwing thesnares out of action, being also in eil'e'ct a part of said means fortensioning the snares in unison.

3. A structure as specified in chim 1, having a screw carried on saiddevice to tension the snares in unison,- sai'd screw forming the mediumof connection between said device and said individual tightening means.

4:. A structure as specified in claim 1',

said means for individually tensioning the snares comprising anadjusting screw for each snare. each screw being parallel with the sideof the drum.

5. A structure as specified in claim 1, said means for individuallytensioning the snares comprising a member having slots therein, a slidefor each slot, each slide'bcing hitched to one of the snares, andadjustinv screws extending through said member an engaging said slides,whereby each snare has an adjusting screw allotted thereto, and allsnare adjusting means of the drum are embodied in one unitary structureat one side of the drum.

6. In mechanism for controlling the snares of a snare drum, thecombination 0'1": 2. slid able member, guidesfor said member, meansincluding a screw for adjusting said menr ber bodily, andinstrun'ientalities for hitching the snares tosaid member, saidinstrumentalities comprising means for individually tensioni'ng thediiferent snares, whereby said individual tightening means forms themedium of connection between saidadjustable member and the snares.

7. A structure as specified in claim 6, said instrumentalitiescomprising an adj usting screw and a slide for each snare, carried bysaid member.

8. A structure as specified in claim 6, in combination with cammechanism for moving said screw endwise to uickly throw the snares outof action, as wel as into action, whereby said cam has control over saidindividual tightening means to quickly relax or tighten all'the snares.

9. A structure as specified in claim 6, in combination with mechanismfor quickl moving said screw endwise, thereb to shi t said member, forthe pur o quickly throwing the snares out 0 action, as well as intoaction.

10. In mechanism for controllin the snares of snare drums, thecombination of a member which is movable bodily to control the snares inunison, and means on said member to control the snares individually,whereby said individual means form the medium of connection between thesnares and said unison control.

11. A structure as specified in claim 10, in combination with guides forsaid member, and a screw for moving said member bodily, forming means tothereby control said individual means in unison.

12. A structure as specified in claim 10, in combination with guides forsaid members, and means including a pivoted cam for moving said memberbodily, forming means to thereby control said individual means inllIllSOIl.

13. In mechanism for controlling the snares of snare drums, thecombination of a member at the side of the drum, rotatable adjustingscrews extending through said member, parallel with the side of thedrum, elements to which the snares are connected, having threadedengagements with said screws, and means on said member to engage saidelements and hold them against rotation, whereby adjustment of any screwwill tension only the particular snare allotted thereto, in combinationwith means for adjusting said member bodily to control the snares inunison, so that the individual control forms the medium of connectionbetween the snares and the unison control.

JAMES M. ELLIOTT.

